Have you ever run a Google search for “The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie“? It’s incredible the amount of entries that are returned and everyone is insisting they have found the very best. How would you describe the ultimate chocolate chip cookie, “Soft and chewy?” “Crispy and chewy?” “Slightly soft but not crumbly?” “Thin and crispy?” or could it possibly be any one of the many other descriptions that flood the search engine?

Where to begin and which recipe to choose was not an easy feat but I ultimately landed on Jacques Torres’s Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies and wow! I am so happy I did! How could I go wrong? Apparently these are Martha Stewart’s favourite chocolate chip cookies. If they can satisfy Martha they must be amazing.

The “Secret” to Jacques’s chocolate chip cookies, good quality butter, the combination of the pastry and bread flours and the best-quality chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content.

I picked up a few tips along the way (from an article I read in the New York Times by David Leite) to enhance the flavour and texture of the cookies. Make sure all of the ingredients you are using are at room temperature. Salt is a key ingredient in any sweet baked good. Let the cookie dough rest for thirty-six hours. (Are you kidding? I couldn’t wait that long! Four hours was all I could manage, maybe next time). This will enhance the flavour and make the cookies taste better.

The resting period in the fridge also produces drier and firmer dough that bakes to a better consistency (I found after refrigerating for four hours I had to let the dough sit at room temperature for about twenty minutes before I could scoop and proportion). The most important tip (think we all know this one) bake in small quantities, serve fresh and warm. Who doesn’t love any chocolate chip cookie straight out of the oven? Soft and gooey chocolate gets me every time.

Couple of things to mention, your stand mixer will definitely get a work out (thought mine was going to end up in the trash) and when you are adding the chocolate you’ll think to yourself “there is no way I can mix in all this chocolate” but you can, just add gradually. I went with a 2-ounce size cookie, when baked it was approximately 9 cm (3½-inches) in diameter. The recipe makes quite a few cookies. You can portion out and freeze and bake whenever you want to indulge (add a few minutes to baking time).

Did I find the best chocolate chip cookie? I don’t know. What I did find, a decadent and rich chocolate chip cookie (crispy around the edges and soft in the middle) that will surely satisfy any sweet tooth.

Bake for 18-20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies or until lightly browned, but still soft. Do not over-bake. Cool slightly on baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

27 Responses to “Jacques Torres’s Secret Chocolate Chip Cookies”

You’re so right. These really do appear quite perfect. I’ve tried that technique of letting this sort of cookie dough “age” for two or three days in the fridge before baking it, and I think it really works. No question that using fine chocolate helps too, and the difference that comes from using something other than just all-purpose flour in chocolate chip cookie dough can be pretty startling too! Nice post and beautiful photos!

I found this recipe about a year ago and haven’t made another chocolate chip cookie since. These are the best!! I add walnuts sometimes … this cookies bakes up crisp on the edges which I love and the dough isn’t too too sweet and compliments the chocolate well.

Thank you Jane, I am going to try and hold off for the 36 hour time frame next time but I think I will bake some off at the 12hr and 24hr as well just to see the difference between the aging times. I also want to try a batch that I portion out and freeze to see if the aging process works the same (it makes such a large batch) plus it’s nice to be able to pop a dozen in the oven and eat them freshly baked.

Thanks so much for sharing, I have been trying to perfect my favorite cookie for years and I am looking forward to testing out this recipe. I haven’t ever heard of these tips before. I wish it wasn’t too hot to bake cookies right now (no air conditioning)sigh…

I know what SHOULD come up when I do a google search for best chocolate chip cookies. It should be this post! Your pics keep getting better and better and (as my dad used to say) they were pretty good to start with! I love the one with the cookie dough…that is a particular weakness of mine.

Last summer my family and I took a little field trip to Brooklyn. We rode the subway to lower Manhattan and then walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. One of our many stops while we were there was to Jacques Torres’ store and guess what we had – his chocolate chip cookies! They were bigger than normal and warm out of the oven. Very rich – the 4 of us shared one cookie!

Yes exactly Nazir. If you want them thin and crispy you’ll have to experiment with this batter. I would try baking a small batch (3 or 4 cookies) immediately after preparing the batter without resting in the fridge, if it’s the texture you want bake the rest off. If not, rest at one hour increments testing a few cookies at a time until they are perfect. The first time I made the cookies I rested the batter for four hours but I found it was very hard to scoop after taking the batter out of the fridge. Now I portion the cookies first and then bake off straight from the fridge and I would recommend you do the same. The only drawback is having enough room in the fridge for all the trays. I usually use one full sheet pan placing the cookies as close as possible and then transfer and space on another sheet when its time to bake them. They are firm at that point and easy to lift off the parchment paper. Let me know how it goes because I haven’t prepared these thin and crispy yet.

Thank you! FYI, I did make them ahead of time, rolled them into logs and wrapped them with cling wrap and then under refrigeration. After 4 hours, I just sliced them, placed them on tray and baked. Saved me from scooping!

I will experiment for a crispier cookie (when I return, in 2 weeks) and let you know!

can you please post the ingredients in grams? :( i would really love to try this recipe, i love chocolate chip cookies but i tried 3 different recipes and i didn’t like how thy came out and oh my god i really want to try these recipe, the pictures you posted are amazing :)